MLB The Show 21
MLB The Show 21 Review – A Familiar Crack Of The Bat
Get on Xbox Games Store"MLB The Show 21" is a baseball simulation game with improved on-field action and various modes like Road to the Show, Diamond Dynasty, Franchise, and March to October. The Digital Deluxe Edition supports the Jackie Robinson Foundation. It offers bonus items such as Jackie Robinson bat skin, packs, stubs, and double daily login rewards, with cross-platform play between PS4 and PS5.
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Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
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Xbox
Reviews
- Exciting to finally have MLB The Show available on Xbox, fulfilling a long-awaited desire for Xbox owners.
- Outstanding graphics and realistic gameplay make it the best baseball game many players have ever experienced.
- Improvements in gameplay mechanics, such as Pinpoint Pitching and enhanced fielding, contribute to a solid overall experience.
- The game suffers from severe server issues and glitches, making it borderline unplayable for some users.
- Baserunning and fielding controls are clunky, and hitting mechanics can feel predictable and frustrating.
- Lack of significant new features and modes, along with a stagnant presentation, leaves some players wanting more from the next-gen experience.
- gameplay8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title is praised for its solid mechanics and enhancements, including the introduction of pinpoint pitching and improved fielding animations, which elevate the overall experience. The game offers a wealth of content and customization options, catering to both hardcore fans and newcomers, while maintaining a smooth performance across various modes. Additionally, the inclusion of a stadium creator adds depth for players willing to explore its features.
“Despite being stingier, though, Diamond Dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series’ tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of pinpoint pitching and new fielding animations.”
“Pinpoint pitching is a challenging and rewarding new pitching interface, Diamond Dynasty is as robust as ever with plenty of variety, improved fielding adds to the series' consistently excellent gameplay, and the stadium creator is surprisingly malleable with a plethora of options.”
“Despite being stingier, diamond dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series’ tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of pinpoint pitching and new fielding animations.”
“The presentation and gameplay remain strong, and the ability to be a two-way player in Road to the Show has freshened that mode up and made it more enjoyable than ever.”
“[Solid gameplay that moves to new consoles completely unscathed. Core game modes received tweaks that feel tailored to hardcore fans. Stadium creator is neat for those with the patience to take full advantage of its features. Seamless cross-play is always a pro.]”
- graphics5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their outstanding realism and quality, with many users expressing their love for the visual presentation. However, some players have reported issues such as graphical and audio hiccups, which may detract from the overall experience.
“Outstanding graphics, so realistic. Terrific game!”
“Graphics are amazing, love it.”
“The graphics are outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“I experienced severe graphical glitches that made the game unplayable at times.”
“The art style feels inconsistent, and the overall visual presentation is disappointing.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for its slow progression system and the introduction of perks that encourage microtransactions. Additionally, players are disappointed by the absence of features like year-to-year saves and the lack of improvements in franchise mode compared to other games in the genre.
“Progression is painfully slow in the reworked Road to the Show; the addition of perks pushes the player towards microtransactions.”
“Missing features like year-to-year saves and Sounds of the Show are disappointing omissions.”
“Franchise mode is still lagging behind its contemporaries.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received positive feedback, highlighting numerous new animations, smooth performance, and refined gameplay, along with widespread improvements across various game modes.
“Tons of new animations, smooth performance, refined gameplay, and widespread improvements for individual game modes.”
Critic Reviews
MLB The Show 21 Review – Walking to First
MLB The Show 21 does exactly what a sports sequel needs to do; it refines and expands on the best features of its predecessor, without taking away from what works.
80%MLB The Show 21 Review
MLB The Show 21 swings-and-misses in a few areas, with the well-intentioned Ballplayer system diminishing Road to the Show. Despite being stingier, though, Diamond Dynasty is still the best card collecting mode available, and the series’ tried and trusted gameplay has been further enhanced with the addition of Pinpoint Pitching and new fielding animations. Sony San Diego hasn’t quite hit a home run this year, but this is a strong lead-off double for baseball on PS5.
70%MLB The Show 21
Not exactly the all-star debut, MLB The Show 21 is still the frontrunner for the best baseball experience on consoles.
75%
